Invasive pest plants!

Whilst at the London Wetland Centre I saw the new exhibit showing examples of invasive wetland plants – a problem experienced across the globe nowadays, with the increased movement of people, and of plants for horticulture. We commonly see waterways crowded with non-native plants, which out-compete native plants and are not as useful for our native wildlife. These exhibits show plastic models of the plants (obviously we don’t want to be growing the real thing!) chained in cages, to make the point that they are not a positive addition to our environment. Visitors can identify the plants, and read advice on what to do with them if they find them in their own ponds or wetlands – dispose of them carefully! For more information, check the WWT website.